THE MOLE AGENT
****
Director: Maite Alberdi
Screenplay: Maite Alberdi
Principal cast:
Sergio Chamy
Romulo Aitken
Marta Olivares
Berta Ureta
Zoila Gonzalez
Petronila Abarca
Country: Chile/USA/Germany/Netherlands/Spain
Classification: PG
Runtime: 84 mins
Australian release date: 17 June 2021.
Eighty-three-year-old Sergio Chamy could have been a matinee idol in his younger days, judging by the way he wins hearts in a fascinating, and moving, factual film currently in release. Maite Alberdi’s The Mole Agent was, deservedly, nominated in the Best Documentary category at the Academy Awards this year; although it didn’t win, it is a fine piece of filmmaking which takes us into the inner sanctum of a retirement home in Chile that houses a group of elderly men and women. Four males and 50 females, to be precise. Sergio is employed by a private investigator to act as his mole and infiltrate the home for three months because the PI has been charged with finding out if one of the inhabitants, Sonia Perez, is being mistreated by the staff. Sergio must report back as to whether there is any abuse going on, a task that requires the old man to be trained in the use of the tech he will need for his surveillance - hidden cameras and the like - but he’s not exactly tech savvy. He even needs some help with how to use WhatsApp! These scenes in the PI’s office are delightful, as his employer patiently takes Sergio through the skills he will have to master to do the job.
Sergio is a real gentleman, “un caballero”, who is a hit with the ladies and his easy-going charm is the best thing that has happened to them for a long time. As he familiarises himself with the home’s inhabitants, he chats to the women and his sympathetic ear is instantly alluring to many of them (these are people who don’t leave the premises and rarely, if ever, receive visits from their families). So, almost immediately, one of the women, Berta, sets her sights on Sergio and believes that they could get married, only to discover that he is still mourning the death of his wife and is in no rush to get involved with anyone else. Others develop a true friendship with him, one admitting that she’s never had a male friend in her entire life. Another new friend, Marta, has “quick hands” and Sergio soon realises that she may be responsible for certain items going missing.
The Mole Agent is a sympathetic look, but never a patronising one, at a situation in which many elderly people find themselves. Not all of the residents have members of their families checking up on them like Sonia’s daughter (although there’s more to that ‘concern’ than meets the eye) and, in fact, many are left to a life of utter loneliness, abandoned by their adult children. With that comes inevitable despair and depression. In one case, Sergio develops a friendship with a resident who simply can’t recall if she has ever had any visits from her family - an extremely emotional moment that he deals with in a caring, sensitive manner - but we never learn whether her recollection is true or not. We are, however, left with the conclusion that most of the residents are suffering from terrible loneliness and shocking neglect – not from the staff but from their own offspring.
Beautifully shot and edited, The Mole Agent is a treat for anyone interested in the human spirit. Sergio is an inspirational character, even though he is worn down by what he sees. Despite this, much of the documentary is light-hearted, until ‘the mole’ realises what he is actually revealing. Alberdi’s film shows just how important human contact is, and the damage than can occur when it is taken away.
Screenplay: Maite Alberdi
Principal cast:
Sergio Chamy
Romulo Aitken
Marta Olivares
Berta Ureta
Zoila Gonzalez
Petronila Abarca
Country: Chile/USA/Germany/Netherlands/Spain
Classification: PG
Runtime: 84 mins
Australian release date: 17 June 2021.
Eighty-three-year-old Sergio Chamy could have been a matinee idol in his younger days, judging by the way he wins hearts in a fascinating, and moving, factual film currently in release. Maite Alberdi’s The Mole Agent was, deservedly, nominated in the Best Documentary category at the Academy Awards this year; although it didn’t win, it is a fine piece of filmmaking which takes us into the inner sanctum of a retirement home in Chile that houses a group of elderly men and women. Four males and 50 females, to be precise. Sergio is employed by a private investigator to act as his mole and infiltrate the home for three months because the PI has been charged with finding out if one of the inhabitants, Sonia Perez, is being mistreated by the staff. Sergio must report back as to whether there is any abuse going on, a task that requires the old man to be trained in the use of the tech he will need for his surveillance - hidden cameras and the like - but he’s not exactly tech savvy. He even needs some help with how to use WhatsApp! These scenes in the PI’s office are delightful, as his employer patiently takes Sergio through the skills he will have to master to do the job.
Sergio is a real gentleman, “un caballero”, who is a hit with the ladies and his easy-going charm is the best thing that has happened to them for a long time. As he familiarises himself with the home’s inhabitants, he chats to the women and his sympathetic ear is instantly alluring to many of them (these are people who don’t leave the premises and rarely, if ever, receive visits from their families). So, almost immediately, one of the women, Berta, sets her sights on Sergio and believes that they could get married, only to discover that he is still mourning the death of his wife and is in no rush to get involved with anyone else. Others develop a true friendship with him, one admitting that she’s never had a male friend in her entire life. Another new friend, Marta, has “quick hands” and Sergio soon realises that she may be responsible for certain items going missing.
The Mole Agent is a sympathetic look, but never a patronising one, at a situation in which many elderly people find themselves. Not all of the residents have members of their families checking up on them like Sonia’s daughter (although there’s more to that ‘concern’ than meets the eye) and, in fact, many are left to a life of utter loneliness, abandoned by their adult children. With that comes inevitable despair and depression. In one case, Sergio develops a friendship with a resident who simply can’t recall if she has ever had any visits from her family - an extremely emotional moment that he deals with in a caring, sensitive manner - but we never learn whether her recollection is true or not. We are, however, left with the conclusion that most of the residents are suffering from terrible loneliness and shocking neglect – not from the staff but from their own offspring.
Beautifully shot and edited, The Mole Agent is a treat for anyone interested in the human spirit. Sergio is an inspirational character, even though he is worn down by what he sees. Despite this, much of the documentary is light-hearted, until ‘the mole’ realises what he is actually revealing. Alberdi’s film shows just how important human contact is, and the damage than can occur when it is taken away.